Freshwater under the Atlantic? The East Coast discovery that could help quench the world’s thirst
Researchers have discovered freshwater in the most unlikely of places, underneath the Atlantic Ocean. But can it be tapped?
Seen from space, our planet looks like a blue ball with most of its surface covered by oceans. However, while the Earth is blessed with an abundance of water, the vast majority of it is undrinkable, ladened with salt.
As fresh water becomes more and more scarce across the globe, the search is on for alternative sources. In a remarkable discovery, scientists may have struck the freshwater jackpot in the most unlikely of places, underneath the Atlantic Ocean.
Massive freshwater aquifer found off East Coast
The fact that there were pockets of freshwater beneath the Atlantic Ocean off the East Coast of the United States has been known for decades. Exploratory drilling for oil and other resources would often encounter freshwater in drilling cores brought to the surface. However, no further investigations were carried out. That is, until now.
A group of researchers from the Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution employed electromagnetic imaging techniques to scan the ocean floor. This allowed them to distinguish freshwater from saltwater and map a vast and continuous aquifer that stretches from Massachusetts to New Jersey.
The nearly 217-mile-long structure is estimated to contain 670 cubic miles of low-salinity water. This would be enough to supply a major metropolis for hundreds of years.
“We knew there was fresh water down there in isolated places, but we did not know the extent or geometry. It could turn out to be an important resource in other parts of the world,” said lead author Chloe Gustafson in a statement.
How did freshwater end up under the ocean?
The researchers aren’t exactly sure how the freshwater got to where it is. In a paper published in the journal scientific reports, they speculate that it could be the result of a glacial process when sea-levels were low and the continental shelves were exposed during the last ice age or the structure could be connected to onshore hydrological systems.
The scientists are conducting further tests on the water to determine which process was behind the formation of these offshore groundwater reservoirs. That will help determine if they are static or if they are being replenished.
Problems with tapping into the offshore aquifers
There are several issues that will have to be addressed before any of this freshwater can come to the aid of humanity. Getting the water from underneath the ocean and then to land will be complicated and expensive. Furthermore, who would own the water.
Then there is the issue of possibly contaminating the aquifers by pulling water out of them. Saltwater from above and below could seep in, requiring further costs of desalination or making them completely useless for human needs.
Likewise, if they are connected to onshore aquifers, pulling water out of the offshore locations could cause saltwater to poison the onshore locations.
Careful research will have to be done to answer these questions. But if it is found that it can be done safely, it could be a boon for the entire planet. Similar geological formations are known to exist around the globe off the coast of every continent.
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